Hard as it is to hear, the business of the church is sometimes no business of God. Given enough time, every church and every congregation will experience the corporate side of church that sometimes has little to do with its declared focus. Today’s churches are ever in flux, an unsettling reality for many and an invigorating challenge to others. Fear is a moderating factor keeping us from ill-advised or rash moves, but it doesn’t mean that the soul of the church and its members cannot be wounded under the pretext of “doing the Lord’s work.”

Great resilience is present in small churches, characterized by welcome measures of passion for the work that we do. While there is always more on the plate that can be accomplished, human and material resources that are wisely allocated can elevate churches to higher planes of service. Although we are sometimes asked to make do at critical times, we often surprise ourselves when solutions emerge. It might be “a God thing,” but it is also how a great deal of the world works. Approach it from whichever direction is most helpful.

Following storms of recent weeks, the summer foliage on the place is conspicuously absent, the unfortunate result of hail and driving winds. Remaining leaf canopies of only 20 or 30 percent suggest that losses will be high, and yet there are unexpected and welcome surprises. The most aggrieved loss was on a wonderful maple that most years provides dense shade all summer long. Its future is unclear, but in the meantime it is responding to the call of life. Close examination reveals the emergence of small leafy florets that are doing their best to respond. For our part, we feed and water it in hopes of bolstering its efforts. A kind word and brush of the hand on its trunk as we walk by falls in the “can’t hurt” category.

Religion suggests that sometimes there is nothing to do but wait until the pliability of churches becomes apparent over time. There is no doubt that many face uncertain futures and that we are not entirely sure how to tend to them in the meantime. What can be done with relative ease is to provide them with the necessary elements that nurture life — encouragements, proper feeding, a listening non-judgmental presence, prayer. We should also be able to delicately entertain questions regarding life cycles of churches and our individual roles in those processes.

An expanding theology is viewed as perilous by some, for what we think we know about God can be turned on its head in a moment’s notice. Without continuing challenges to our faith, however, divine assurance can quickly become watered down, a careless exercise resulting in stagnation.

“Does not wisdom call, and does not understanding raise her voice? On the heights, beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand; beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries out: ‘To you, O people, I call, and my cry is to all that live. O simple ones, learn prudence; acquire intelligence, you who lack it. Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right…’” (Proverbs 8:1-6, NRSV) Would that Lady Wisdom be present in these peculiar days!